Lace Wedding Dresses

Working with lace is one of my favourite aspects of wedding dress making. There are so many different types of lace, with evocative names; delicate ‘Chantilly’, bold ‘Guipure’, traditional ‘corded’ or modern ’embroidered’, to name but a few. I have more than 400 samples in my books from lace making regions all over the world. Choose from French or Italian lace, lace from the Far East or closer to home, the traditional lace making town of Nottingham! Lace can be used as flat fabric with the beautiful scalloped edging trimming hems and necklines, or the motifs can be carefully cut and hand appliquéd onto plain fabric to magnificent effect.

A selection of real brides and photoshoot dresses featuring lace fabric or detailing.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Issie: Issie’s dress was made with a boned satin bodice with pretty lace overlay. Long sleeves and a boat neckline were trimmed with a pretty scalloped edging.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Lauren Lauren’s wedding dress was made from matt satin and hand embellished with delicate lace patterns in hand applique. At the back the train was made from over lapping ‘petal’ panels inspired by Lauren’s love of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. This was also the inspiration for the lavish quantities of hand lace embellishment all over the bodice, cascading over the train and edging the skirt all round.

Illusion back lace wedding dress for Helen: The bodice was a traditional sweetheart shape, lightly boned but totally cut away at the back. A simple straight skirt and train balanced the drama of the sheer tulle and lace applique back and sleeves.

Wedding Dress and Tie for Katherine: A contemporary fusion of 1930’s and Victorian fantasy elements went into the design of Katherine’s wedding dress. The main dress was made of buttermilk coloured silk satin and ivory lace with subtle gold thread running through it. The bustle was made of silk chiffon in five subtle dusty-pastel colours and ivory tulle with more of the lace a beaded trim.

The main dress was made of ivory silk dupion with a fitted and boned bodice and sweetheart neckline. Beaded antique-silver lace was hand sewn to the bodice and creeps upwards on the sheer organza to create the shape of embellished ‘straps’. I added extra hand beading and Swarovksi crystals on the bodice area, especially on the neckline and straps.

The fitted and well boned bodice had a sweetheart neckline framed with straps that narrowed on the shoulder. The bodice was made in burnt orange satin layered with scrolling beaded lace. Pretty scalloped edging was used at the neckline and to highlight Clare’s waist. The back fastened with a lace-up back of wide ivory ribbon through loops over an orange modesty panel.

Wedding Dress for Emily: This dress was made from layers of silk satin, chiffon and delicate beaded lace. Made with a fitted and boned bodice with beaded Parisian lace. The sweetheart neckline and straps are trimmed with scalloped edging. The lace extends over the full skirt in handkerchief points below a silk satin sash.

Wedding Dress for Felicity (my own): My dress was made with a boned bodice in green silk with a gold lace overlay. The bodice has a pointed waistline, sweetheart neckline, shaped straps and a peplum at the back. The bodice fastened at the back with with two rows of cover buttons and loops. The full skirt was made in gold silk with contrast green silk waterfall at the back and worn over a hoop and netting. I also had a gold lace bolero.

Wedding Dress and Veil for Angie: Angie wanted something really different for her wedding: as an older bride she wanted to feel extravagant special without wearing a long white dress. Together we created a design all in torn layers with a mix of all the fabrics from my sample books that Angie liked. Angie wanted it to look like a fairytale-attic’ dress, cobwebbed and tatty edged but with delicate lace and a bit of sparkle.

Wedding Dress for Elsa: The finished dress had a fitted and boned bodice with modest round neckline and short sleeves. The dress was fitted to the upper hip and then flared gently to the floor. The whole dress was covered with ivory corded lace and heavily embellished with sequins and pearls.

Wedding Dress for Liz: Made in teal shot silk Liz’s dress has a boned bodice with ruching to the hip and a wide off the shoulder neckline. The skirt falls in graduated tiers of waterfall frills. Hand appliqué of teal lace adds sparkle and texture to the neckline and skirt.

The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with shaped neckline and invisible zip back closure. The flared, knee length skirt has soft white tulle peeking out below. Both the waistline and neckline are decorated with white and silver lace and hand beading.

Wedding Dress for Barbara: Edwardian inspired dress made from duchess satin and beaded Guipure lace. The dress is trimmed with gathered lace flounces and groups of pink flowers. Made in three pieces the lace over bodice has long sleeves and a high collar. The train attached with poppas and was trimmed with matching lace flounces

The dress has a fitted and boned bodice with a plunge neckline fading to narrow straps. Pleated fabric in an asymmetric design emphasises Julia’s waist. Rose gold lace sleeves are trimmed with beaded scalloped edging. A mixed metallic lace edging is also used inside the neckline and on the hip hand beaded with crystals and seed beads.

Wedding dress for Clare: was made in rose pink duchess-satin with a fitted and boned bodice with a sweetheart neckline. A layer of matching lace extended over the bodice and up to a boat neckline at the front and vee at the back. Half cap sleeves and the back neckline were both finished with pretty scalloped edging.